The winner dons the Maple Leaf for the men’s world championship March 30 to April 7 in Lethbridge, Alta., and also get a bye to next year’s Brier in Kingston, Ont.

Calgary’s Koe claimed national titles in 2010, 2014 and 2016 with at least one new player on his team each time.

His rink underwent another revision prior to this season after finishing fourth in last year’s Winter Olympics.

Koe retained lead Ben Hebert, but B.J. Neufeld and Colton Flasch replaced Marc Kennedy and Brent Laing at vice and second respectively.

After opening the tournament 1-2, Koe rattled off five consecutive victories to take Alberta.

Trailing 5-4 on Sunday, he scored five with an open hit in the ninth end and Appelman shook hands.

"It was weird it was over that quick," Koe said. "We’ve had a great year really for a first-year team, but this is has been our biggest event and biggest game to win it, especially the way we did having to kind of grind it out this week.

"It feels good and will help us long term."

Carruthers, with Mike McEwen at skip, will wear the buffalo for the host province after downing William Lyburn 5-3 in Virden, Man., on Sunday.

Muyres drew for a piece of the four-foot rings with his final shot of the game in Whitewood, Sask., to edge Matthew Dunstone 6-5.

Muyres will be a rookie skip at the Brier, although he’s competed in four previous national championships with Steve Laycock’s team.

"Winning my first one as a skip is pretty special," Muyres told CurlSask. "To make that last shot for the win is just unreal."

Koe’s brother Jamie is skipping Northwest Territories a 13th time at the national championship following an 8-3 victory over Greg Skauge in Yellowknife.

Solberg defeated Thomas Scoffin 5-3 in Whitehorse to win Yukon.

The Canadian women’s championship opens in Sydney, N.S., on Friday when Winnipeg’s Kerri Einarson and Lethbridge’s Casey Scheidegger clash in the wild-card game.

Six-time champion Jennifer Jones is chasing a record-setting seventh crown at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

Three-time winner Rachel Homan of Ontario and 2016 victor Chelsea Carey of Alberta are also vying for more titles.